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MY WORD
(Orlando Sentinel)
July 13, 2008
Chief Val B. Demings
Looking for a negative story in a police department is like looking for a
prayer at church. It won’t take long to find one. Law enforcement officers deal
with “negatives” all day, every day. When people summon the police, chances are
things aren’t going well. From January 1, 2003 to June 30, 2008, the Orlando
Police Department made over 2,018,344 contacts with citizens. However, a local
weekly publication chose to do an eight page story on 98 claims of excessive
force during the five year period. If we really focus on the numbers, the
results are pretty amazing. I do not personally know any persons in law
enforcement who claim to be perfect, and if we wanted to portray ourselves as
such, there will always be those who remind us that we are only human. Yes, we
are only human trying to do a job in challenging times that sometimes appears to
require superhuman strength. However, 98 claims of excessive force out of over
2,000,000 encounters with the public would lead a reasonable person to conclude,
Orlando Police Officers are doing O.K., for the most part, in the performance of
their duties.
Despite attempts to focus on our imperfections, we are more committed than ever
to reducing crime and keeping our City safe. The safety of Orlando is our number
one priority. I do believe the vast majority of citizens, business owners, and
visitors are right there with us.
The weekly publication also referenced a few videos to prove their point.
However, I believe a reasonable person also understands that a few seconds (even
of video) rarely captures the entire set of circumstances. The video is
extremely valuable when coupled with witness statements and other evidence that
must be considered in each instance. Every person accused of wrong doing is
afforded that right. Officers are no exception. We invite any citizen to visit
Internal Affairs and read a case of interest, talk to the investigator and ask
questions. Also, the Citizen Review Board is a valuable tool comprised of
professionals who take the time to review all of the facts before rendering
their decisions.
Yes, we really do get that police work is all about controversy and negative
stories. The police are armed with policies and procedures, rules and
regulations, city ordinances, and state statutes that govern what we can and
cannot do. It would be great if everyone we come in contact with respected the
laws and our authority to enforce them. However, unfortunately each year, we
have dozens of officers who are injured by persons who resist our authority.
Many of the officers end up retiring because their injuries will not allow them
to continue on the job. Last year alone, 16 officers in Florida lost their lives
in the line of duty, including an Orlando Police Officer.
Do we make mistakes? Certainly. I deeply regret when any person is the victim of
abuse by a police officer or anyone in authority. When allegations of abuse are
reported, the Investigators in Internal Affairs and I take them very, very,
seriously. The great reputation of our department far outweighs the unacceptable
actions of one individual. However, when we make mistakes, we review the level
of force used and train our officers accordingly. Although we are not perfect,
we strive to perform our duties as perfectly as we can to serve our citizens and
keep them safe.
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